11 great books for summer

Wednesday

May 15, 2013 at 12:25 PMMay 15, 2013 at 3:16 PM

Need a good book for summer? Well, we have some recommendations for you! May these books be a blessing to you – and may you visit again on June 15 for a list of books about freedom. Enjoy! A few I love: The Exquisite Ordinary by Rachel Whaley Doll. She encourages people to be brave […]

simplyfaithful

Need a good book for summer? Well, we have some recommendations for you!

May these books be a blessing to you – and may you visit again on June 15 for a list of books about freedom. Enjoy!

A few I love:

The Exquisite Ordinary by Rachel Whaley Doll. She encourages people to be brave and use their gifts. One of my favorite lines… “Yes, there is probably someone else that can do that thing you do better than you. But chances are, they are not standing where you are.”

Lead Your Family Like Jesus: Powerful Parenting Principles from the Creator of Families by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges and Tricia Goyer. Technically, I was supposed to save this one for my list of parenting books, but it’s new and I want to talk about it! I’m only a few chapters in, but I love that the authors address the parent’s ego early on: “Two problems result from thinking horizontally. The first is that others’ opinions, not God’s, become the source of our security and self-worth. The second is that our kids pick up on it.”

Prayers for Children, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. I’ve had this one since I was a child, and I recently shared it with my two youngest boys. They drifted off to sleep listening to prayers that are simply beautiful.

Some recommendations from my friends:

Crazy Love:Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ by Peter Scazzero

Love Does:Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff (After reading the description, I think I’ll be adding this to my need-to-read list!)

Wings of Glass by Gina Holmes. This book reminded me that domestic violence is a concern for us all — and that we all need to step in. (I really enjoyed Holmes’ writing and plan to go back and read her first book, too.)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon by Sophie Hudson. Oh my goodness. This book was just what a homesick Okie needed! It is plenty of fun but has a powerful message. “And what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt… is that if our generation wants the phrase legacy of faith to mean anything at all to those kids around the table — if we want to go beyond spouting one more piece of Christian lingo that sounds real pretty but holds precious little significance in their lives — then we have to share our stories with them. …We have to make much of what God has done in our lives and what He continues to do.”

Merlin’s Blade by Robert Treskillard. I asked Jessie, my 14-year-old to read this one, and he really enjoyed the author. In fact, he compared Treskillard to John Flanagan, who wrote the Ranger’s Apprentice series.

Jessie often holds books for me while I snap a picture, and this time he requested that his face be part of the picture. Such a demanding model!